MITIGATION DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND MONITORING

WEC provides mitigation services for our clients that are appropriate for their project impacts and permitting requirements. A number of options are available today to accomplish mitigation: 1) on-site, 2) off-site, 3) mitigation banks, and 4) in-lieu fees.   

On-site mitigation involves the creation, restoration, enhancement, and/or preservation of waters of the U.S. on the project site where the impacts occurred. Our services can include conceptual mitigation plan design, regulatory approval of the conceptual plan, detailed design, construction bid solicitation, mitigation construction management, and mitigation data collection and reporting to comply with mitigation monitoring requirements. On-site mitigation is often a cost-effective method when the mitigation does not interfere with existing or future land uses.

With off-site mitigation, WEC provides assistance with the selection of a mitigation site. Other aspects of off-site mitigation are similar to on-site mitigation. Off-site mitigation is used when on-site is not feasible due to lack of appropriate mitigation sites or conflicts with present or future land use.

Mitigation banks are another method of providing compensation for unavoidable impacts to jurisdictional waters. A mitigation bank is typically a private enterprise permitted through the Interagency Review Team (IRT) comprised of the USACE, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and state agencies. Banks provide wetland/stream mitigation on a speculative basis and sells mitigation credits for projects authorized through the NWP and IP processes. WEC can coordinate your mitigation using a mitigation bank, if one is available and appropriate for your project.

Most USACE districts have available an in-lieu fee program that allows applicants to mitigate by providing funds to land trust programs established to accumulate such fees and purchase areas for wetland preservation and restoration. The fees required are generally based on the size of the impact and the cost of property in the vicinity of the impact. WEC can coordinate your mitigation using an in-lieu fee program, if such a program is available and appropriate for your project.